Motorcycle cum car owners in MCF

[Throttle2]

I just took my Roadster out for a spin.  
singapore roads and weather is tough on bikers. 

I didnt even know there was a bikers weekend. need to pay money? probably wont go even if i knew. heh heh

 

Edited October 21, 2024 by Throttle2

[Shibadog]

On 10/21/2024 at 12:20 PM, Throttle2 said:

I just took my Roadster out for a spin.  
singapore roads and weather is tough on bikers. 

I didnt even know there was a bikers weekend. need to pay money? probably wont go even if i knew. heh heh

 

agreed wholeheartedly. That's probably why i don't enjoy riding in SG. 

this year's NBW was at Changi Exhibition Center. Hot & humid. The worst thing is the air-conditioning in the hall wasn't switched on. Tough on the visitors. Torture for the sales staff working inside. I went there early before the crowds rolled in. 
 

[Throttle2]

On 10/21/2024 at 12:51 PM, Shibadog said:

agreed wholeheartedly. That's probably why i don't enjoy riding in SG. 

this year's NBW was at Changi Exhibition Center. Hot & humid. The worst thing is the air-conditioning in the hall wasn't switched on. Tough on the visitors. Torture for the sales staff working inside. I went there early before the crowds rolled in. 
 

air con not on???????????

thats just crazy. 

[tarbo]

On 10/21/2024 at 12:15 PM, Shibadog said:

thanks for the feedback.

The new R1300GS is quite interesting, with the auto-height adjustment and lighter weight compared to it's predecessors. Although size-wise, i am more keen on the F900GS. I'm surprised the 800/850/900 are not more popular here. 

yeah i'm also concerned abt the small spaces and parking situations esp up north, where the ground surface isn't pristine. And i usually go alone, so need to be self-reliant. 

over the weekend, i was telling a friend that i also need to check out the Triumph Tiger range. Simply too many options to consider.

Yah. The F GSes are very capable bikes, but like the Transalp you guys were discussing, just doesn't have the mass market appeal here, ie. Cl2 riders always want to get the biggest, baddest thing.

I heard the new Tigers are a big improvement, never tried. Friend says its definitely easier to put the newer Tiger on the mainstand compared to his dinosaur 800 XCX. Haha.

[Shibadog]

i recently rode up to North Thai and went into North Laos for a short loop in the mountains there. 

prior to going to Laos, i went to Chiang Mai to change from my road tyres (Bridgestone T32) to one that can handle rough roads, the Mitas E07+, which is a 60/40 tyre. It turned out to be the best decision i made, when i later experienced first hand the roads in Laos. 

Chiang Rai/Chiang Khong (Thai) - Luang Namtha - Udomsay - Nong Khiaw - Meung Noi (by boat) - Nong Khiaw - Luang Prabang - Xayabouli - Mueng Nguen - Huay Kon/Nan (Thai)

i've been to North Thai a few times, by both car and bike but this is my first time going into Laos. The area is very close to the China Border.

strictly speaking, we need a tour agent or a tour guide to enter Laos with our own vehicle but i didn't arrange for one due to the cost and hassle. I simply rolled up to the border, paid a small undertable fee (SGD40) after negotiation and was allowed in.

impressions of North Laos:

very rural area, roads are mostly single lane in each direction but are wide. Road surfaces are in terrible condition - lots of broken tarmac, massive potholes, gravel, sand. This is even on the "main highways". Farms seem to be set up by the Chinese to supply the China market. Lots of heavy trucks carrying produce to China, thus the broken roads and the massive amount of dust in the air. Riding the roads there is like riding offroad half the time.
 

petrol stations are everywhere. Never feared running out of petrol. I didn't see any ron95 for the 1st week, until i got to Luang Prabang. Just pump 91 all the way.

food - some similiarities with North Thai food, but different too. lots of noodles, sticky rice. 
in the rural areas, people are more guarded compared to thailand. The kids are always curious and friendly. In the rural areas, English is rarely spoken. In the touristy areas, they're more open and speak English or Mandarin (esp the towns serving Chinese tourists).

the scenery is very raw, awe-inspiring and beautiful. Especially at Nong Khiaw - mountains + rivers. 

sharing some pics 

this pic taken by a pro photographer that is stationed along the road in Petchabun, Thailand. Find him on FB, pay a small fee and get the pics taken by him.

 

roads in Laos

 

 

[Shibadog]

more pics from Laos
 

pasar pagi/morning market. What a backdrop eh

 

i think this is a Ural

 

 

 

 

[Shibadog]

 

setting sun.

 

walking the elephant to Xayabouli for an elephant festival. From here, it's about 30km to town.

 

elephant festival. Abt 50 elephants were there. 3 or 4 elephants from the logging industry, the others were from the tourist industry

 

river cruise at Luang Prabang

 

jungle meat for sale at a morning market. Also saw various bugs and bamboo rats. I didn't try. 

[Throttle2]

steady Steady poon pi pi  @Shibadog

you da man, thanks for living our dreams on our behalf.

Safe travels!

[Cheesey74]

On 3/9/2025 at 1:29 AM, Shibadog said:

i recently rode up to North Thai and went into North Laos for a short loop in the mountains there. 

prior to going to Laos, i went to Chiang Mai to change from my road tyres (Bridgestone T32) to one that can handle rough roads, the Mitas E07+, which is a 60/40 tyre. It turned out to be the best decision i made, when i later experienced first hand the roads in Laos. 

Chiang Rai/Chiang Khong (Thai) - Luang Namtha - Udomsay - Nong Khiaw - Meung Noi (by boat) - Nong Khiaw - Luang Prabang - Xayabouli - Mueng Nguen - Huay Kon/Nan (Thai)

i've been to North Thai a few times, by both car and bike but this is my first time going into Laos. The area is very close to the China Border.

strictly speaking, we need a tour agent or a tour guide to enter Laos with our own vehicle but i didn't arrange for one due to the cost and hassle. I simply rolled up to the border, paid a small undertable fee (SGD40) after negotiation and was allowed in.

impressions of North Laos:

very rural area, roads are mostly single lane in each direction but are wide. Road surfaces are in terrible condition - lots of broken tarmac, massive potholes, gravel, sand. This is even on the "main highways". Farms seem to be set up by the Chinese to supply the China market. Lots of heavy trucks carrying produce to China, thus the broken roads and the massive amount of dust in the air. Riding the roads there is like riding offroad half the time.
 

petrol stations are everywhere. Never feared running out of petrol. I didn't see any ron95 for the 1st week, until i got to Luang Prabang. Just pump 91 all the way.

food - some similiarities with North Thai food, but different too. lots of noodles, sticky rice. 
in the rural areas, people are more guarded compared to thailand. The kids are always curious and friendly. In the rural areas, English is rarely spoken. In the touristy areas, they're more open and speak English or Mandarin (esp the towns serving Chinese tourists).

the scenery is very raw, awe-inspiring and beautiful. Especially at Nong Khiaw - mountains + rivers. 

sharing some pics 

this pic taken by a pro photographer that is stationed along the road in Petchabun, Thailand. Find him on FB, pay a small fee and get the pics taken by him.

 

roads in Laos

 

 

Power bro, all the way from sg to laos in a cb400x?

[Shibadog]

On 3/10/2025 at 8:00 AM, Cheesey74 said:

Power bro, all the way from sg to laos in a cb400x?

yep i would have liked to put the bike (and me) on the train from Hatyai to BKK and vice versa, in order to save time and avoid that horrible, boring highway but the tickets were sold out way in advance. My trip departure from SG was very last minute so i couldn't get things done in advance.

the bike is actually great in Thailand but feels underpowered in Msia on NSHW. If no traffic jam, drive car is faster. If jam, bike is faster. 

the roads in North Laos were horrendous. i was told roads in the south (around Vientiane and to the south) are better because less big trucks and less mountainous.

if i go back there, i'd prefer to fly in to Laos and rent a CRF250/300. Or buy a CRF 300 Rally in Thailand (new price SGD7k) and use it for such trips

i met a lovely Laotian couple in Xayabouli who had ridden there from Vientiane on their own CB500X. It's their first road trip on that bike and they're still getting used to it as well as mountain roads. They also said the roads up there were terrible but the beautiful mountain scenery made up for it. Unfortunately they had two falls in the 3 days of riding and had various scrapes, abrasions etc. In fact, when i met them during dinner at a restaurant, they had just come from the local hospital 😓 Advised them to get some safety/protection gear for future trips. 

 

[Cheesey74]

On 3/10/2025 at 3:39 PM, Shibadog said:

yep i would have liked to put the bike (and me) on the train from Hatyai to BKK and vice versa, in order to save time and avoid that horrible, boring highway but the tickets were sold out way in advance. My trip departure from SG was very last minute so i couldn't get things done in advance.

the bike is actually great in Thailand but feels underpowered in Msia on NSHW. If no traffic jam, drive car is faster. If jam, bike is faster. 

the roads in North Laos were horrendous. i was told roads in the south (around Vientiane and to the south) are better because less big trucks and less mountainous.

if i go back there, i'd prefer to fly in to Laos and rent a CRF250/300. Or buy a CRF 300 Rally in Thailand (new price SGD7k) and use it for such trips

i met a lovely Laotian couple in Xayabouli who had ridden there from Vientiane on their own CB500X. It's their first road trip on that bike and they're still getting used to it as well as mountain roads. They also said the roads up there were terrible but the beautiful mountain scenery made up for it. Unfortunately they had two falls in the 3 days of riding and had various scrapes, abrasions etc. In fact, when i met them during dinner at a restaurant, they had just come from the local hospital 😓 Advised them to get some safety/protection gear for future trips. 

 

Oh man what a trip, u r those "can eat bitter" type sibeh hardcore, glad u make it there n back safely, enjoy n take care. more bountiful road trips ahead for ya bro!

[Shibadog]

On 3/10/2025 at 5:42 PM, Cheesey74 said:

Oh man what a trip, u r those "can eat bitter" type sibeh hardcore, glad u make it there n back safely, enjoy n take care. more bountiful road trips ahead for ya bro!

i consider myself quite pampered liao. Got many others i met along the way more hardcore. Saw three groups of Malaysian kupchai/scooters also heading to Laos. And one of the groups was planning to ride into the darkness (based on the time & space for their plan that day) on those broken mountain roads 😬